Dotty Simone – His Hell
The lone figure sat crouched upon the cold, wet floor of the yard. Stray rubbish brushed past him from time to time in the breeze; but his matted, long brown hair stayed stuck to his neck. A heavy chain circled his neck to keep him from escaping, even though his naked body was now so weak he would have had to have been carried out of there. His face showed no emotion; the windows of his soul had their curtains tightly drawn, as this was the fifth day.
As darkness fell, so did the rain, causing his body to shiver violently. It is getting close to that time again, he thought, the fear causing a trickle of urine to puddle around his feet. It was warm, at least.
A few moments passed until a loud crash followed by canine yelps filled the air. The growling was so terrifying that he could not open his eyes to look. It sounded like wild wolves, huge wolves. The growling moved nearer, a tear slid down his muddy cheek, pooling by his mouth. The salty liquid filled his mouth as he gasped for air, knowing it was coming.
The chain was yanked and his body pulled hard, he heard snuffling, and a sharp whip-like implement was brought down onto his back causing large welts to form on his naked skin.
“Our Father, who…,” he desperately tried to recite, “art in heaven.” He was struck again, this time in his face, which took him by surprise. Blood filling his mouth, he raised his head and – against better judgment – opened his eyes.
“Eat!” came the deep growl from his captor, and he tilted his head towards the noise. His heart was thumping so loud, his body bleeding, but he was numb both in body and in mind. The sight before him was like nothing he had ever seen before; wiry, brown dirty hair he could see. And it covered most of the creature’s form.
“I said eat!” it said louder, moving forward. It then brought its limb down hard onto his head, forcing his face into the foul-smelling mush it had placed in front of him.
“I can’t, I can’t!” he cried, gasping for air as the pungent mixture was drawn up into his nostrils, causing him to gag. Bile rose into his throat.
“You will obey me!” His captor pulled the chain again, forcing his face full into the food.
The fear was too great, it shut his mind down, his unconscious body slumped to the side, and for a moment at least he was at peace.
In his dream he was at home, lying on his sofa; his warm, comfy, threadbare sofa. He had necked some beer, two or three. He remembered this so clearly, so how had he gotten here? He remembered getting in his car after the beer had run out. It was only a short drive to the store, and as he hadn’t had many he’d be okay. Only he remembered now: He hadn’t been okay. The visions passed through his mind in slow motion, he had lost control. He hadn’t seen the other car, had been fiddling around for his phone, damn thing, it always fell on the floor. Then he remembered blood curdling screams as the oncoming vehicle had been catapulted into the air as he ploughed into it head on….No, this was not what he wanted to remember, they were dead. A mother, a baby and its father were gone because of his thoughtless, stupid actions.
The visions stopped suddenly as he was thrown back to consciousness. Realizing that he had been lying on his own excrement, he was frightened, confused and so terribly ashamed. Covering his modesty with crossed legs, he sat up and surveyed his surroundings. The yard was dark now, but a light beamed out from the house, he could hear the distant sound of music every now and then. He crawled until the chain was taut, straining to peer through the window.
There were more of those creatures, a whole group. Drinking, dancing, and all while on all fours. They were dogs, he realized. The back door swung open suddenly, causing him to freeze to the spot.
“Where is it, then?” a gruff female sounding voice asked.
“It’s here somewhere, disobedient li’l shit,” came his captors voice.
“Aw, it’s nice, a little dirty but nice, I’ve always wanted one,” she snorted. ”Here boy,” she beckoned him with her paw.
Panic filled every vein in his body, he was their pet, he was disobedient, he didn’t understand.
The two dogs turned, and he saw his captor lower his head to sniff the female.
“Not here!” she said, giggling flirtatiously, but the captor nuzzled into the back of her neck gripping her flesh between his teeth. She bent her four legs to allow him nearer.
The prisoner could not watch any longer and closed his eyes tightly, hands clasped over his ears. It was at this moment he realized that he had died in that crash, also. This was his Hell, his penance for what he had done.
